One of the traditions of the Christmas season at Cornerstone is our annual Service of Lessons & Carols. For those new to our midst or unfamiliar with the history behind this glorious service, a little background might be in order. The service began in 1918 at King’s College Cambridge led by Eric Milner-White, who was Dean of King’s College at the time. The opening service was received with such great acclaim that it became an annual tradition at King’s College and is today one of the most beloved Christmas services throughout the world.
Throughout the years, the service has, for the most part, remained the same. Minor revisions were made in 1919 involving rearrangements of the lessons. And every year there are adaptations of music and carols, though the service has always opened with one of my favorite hymns, “Once in Royal David’s City.”
The BBC first broadcasted the service in 1928 and, with the exception of 1930; the service has been broadcasted every year since. It was even broadcasted during World War II when the stain glass windows of the cathedral and the heat source were removed from the building for security reasons. During those dark and tumultuous days for the world, the service of Lessons of Carols provided a gospel reminder of hope and peace.
When the broadcast extended oversees in the mid 1930’s, its popularity quickly spread worldwide. As the popularity of the service grew, churches around the globe began to adapt the service for their own corporate use.
If you’ve never attended a Lessons & Carols service, you’re in for a real treat on December 15. Through Scriptural lessons and carols, we will course through the unfolding of gospel of Jesus Christ from Old to New Testament. What Dean Milner-White called, “the development of the loving purposes of God through the windows and words of the Bible.”
The choir and musicians have been preparing faithfully to make this a memorable night of worship. Please do not miss this opportunity to prepare your heart for Christmas! Moreover, there’s often an increased openness toward spiritual matters during the holiday seasons, so don’t forget to invite unbelieving family, friends, and neighbors to join you for the service. This a great opportunity to introduce those you love to the gospel of Jesus Christ.